Filling-tube for liquids.



PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908. A. SCHNEIDER.

FILLING TUBE FOR LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.29,1907.

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ADOLPH SCHNEIDER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FILLING-TUBE FOR LIQUIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1908.

Application filed April 29. 1907. Serial No. 370.864.

'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADoLPn SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Filling-Tubes forLiquids, of which the following is a specification.

The bottling or packaging of liquids, particularly carbonated liquids,in order to obtain the best results, and to prevent foaming, requires'an equalization of pressure between the filling tank containing theliquid and the to-be filled bottle or package, and the discharging ofthe liquid into the bottle or package, after the pressure has beenequalized; and for the purpose of equalizing the pressure, the bottle orpackage must be ell'ectually sealed against the escape of pressure.

The objects of the present invention are to construct a filling tube forliquid, with a supplemental tube for conducting or conveying pressureback and forth between the filling tank and the to-be filled bottle orpackage, with the tubes so arranged as that the supplemental tube forthe pressure will be opened for admitting pressure to the bottle orpackage before the filling tube is opened for discharging liquid intothe bottle or package; to combine a filling tube for liquid, asupplemental tube for pressure, and a slid able sealing head for sealingthe'mouth of the bottle or package in such manner as to have the initialupward movement open the sup plemental tube, for admitting pressure, andthe continued upward movement of the sealing head open the liquid tube,to discharge liquid into the bottle or package, with the supplementaltube for pressure still open to escape pressure from the bottle orpackage back into the tank; to construct a fixed liquid tube having adischarge valve at its lower end, a slidable supplemental tube forconducting pressure between the filling tank and the to-be filled bottleor package, and a slidable sealing head for sealing the mouth of thebottle, with the sealing head slidable on the fixed liquid supply tubeand the slidable supplemental tube movable with the sealing head, afterthe initial upward move ment of the sealing head; and to improvegenerally the construction, arrangement and operation of the severalparts entering into the formation of the filling tube as a whole.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combinationof parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the sealing head,the supplemental tube, and the bottom of the filling tank, with theliquid supply tube partly in section and partly in full elevation, andshowing the sealing head and the tubes in normal, or at rest positionfor the sealing head, closing the liquid supply tube and thesupplemental tube against the [low of liquid and pressure; Fig. 2 asimilar view to Fig. 1, showing the sealing head initially raised toopen the supplemental tube, for admitting pressure to the bottle, shownin dotted lines, with its neck or month end entered into the sealinggasket; and Fig. 3 a similar View to Fig. 1, showing the sealing headand the supplemental tube for pressure fully raised, for the valve ofthe liquid supply tube to be open, for discharging liquid into thebottle or package,- with the bottle shown in dotted lines.

The filling tank can be of any suitable and well known form ofconstruction adapted to contain liquid in its lower portion and pressurein its upper portion, with a bottom wall 1 having a hole 2, for a plugformed with a flange or rim 3 and a neck 4, with the neck entered intothe hole 2 and extending beyond the inner face of the wall, and havingan exterior screw thread to receive a ring nut 5, by means of which theplug is fixedly and firmly secured in the wall. The plug has, extendinglongitudinally therethrough, a hole 6, with a screw thread to receivethe upper end of a filling tube 7, so as to suspend the tube in a fixedrelation.

The lower end of the filling tube is encircled by a head 8 having achamber 9, to receive a packing ring 10 compressed by a ring follower orgland 11 threaded into the chamber 9, and operating to compress thepacking tightly around the filling tube, so as to pre vent the escape ofpressure and liquid around the filling tube. The chamber 9 terminates ina wall 12, below which is a hole in the head 8, of a greater diameterthan the exterior diameter of the filling tube, to form a passage 13around the exterior of the filling tube.

The head, on its lower end, has a neck 14, with an exterior screwthread, forming a shoulder 15, and the neck 14 receives a wall or flange16 of a ring 17, having an upper shoulder 18, so that, when the ring isthreaded onto the neck 14, the abutting faces of the shoulder and flange16, and of the ring 17 and shoulder 18, will form a close and tightjoint between the head and the ring.

The inner face 19 of the ring 17 has an upward and inward taper, forminga guide for directing the end of the bottle or package to properposition and relation with the sealing gasket carried by the head, theend of the bottle or package passing into the tapered opening 20, formedby the inclined inner walls of the ring. The under face, or lower end,of the head 8 has a semi-circular chamber 21 formed therein, whichchamber 21 re ceives the body 22 of a sealing gasket, the exterior faceof the body of the sealing gasket being formed on a semicircle toclosely fit the semi-circular chamber 21 of the head. The gasket has acentral tapered plug or stopper 23, between the exterior of which andthe interior face of the body 22, is a channel 24, into which is enteredthe extreme end of the neck of the body or package, so that the mouth ofthe bottle or package is sealed on the interior by the plug or stopper23, and on the exterior by the body of the gasket, as shown in Figs. 2and 3.

The body of the gasket and the plug or stopper thereof have an axial orcentral hole through which the filling tube passes, forming a passage 25in communication with the passage 13 of the head 8, furnishing acontinuous passage opening at the end of the plug or stopper of thesealing gasket or cushion. The discharge end of the filling tube has aport 26, with a seating face 27 around its inner end, which seating face27 coacts with a valve 28 having a stem 29 extending below the lower endof the filling tube, for engaging the bottom of an entered bottle orpackage, for the engagement, with the upward movement of the bottle orpackage and the sealing head, to raise the valve from the seat and openthe discharge port 26, for liquid to flow from the filling tube into thebottle or package; and, as shown, the valve is returned to closingposition by a weight 30 extending up into the filling tube, andsufficiently heavy to seat the valve, when the parts are in the normalposition, or at rest, as shown in Fig. 1 and the weight is of a lessdiameter in cross section than the interior diameter of the fillingtube, so as to leave a passage 31 between the exterior of the weight andthe interior face of the filling tube for liquid to flow out at thedischarge port.

The head 8 has therein alateral chamber 32, in communication withthepassage 13, and extending upwardly from the lateral chamber 32 is achamber 33, with a screw thread, and receiving a ring nut or plug 34, apacking 35, and a follower or gland 36, by means of which the packing istightly compressed around a tube 37 extending through the ring nut 34,

the packing 35 and the follower or gland 36, so that the head has alimited upward movement on the tube 37, with the initial entering of abottle or package into filling position. The lower end of the tube 37carries a valve 33, with a seating face 39, to engage the end face ofthe ring nut 34 and tightly close the end of the tube and the valve 38has a stem 40 for attaching the valve to the end of the tube, and, asshown, the wall of the tube and the stem have a port or opening 41, fordischarging pressure when the valve is opened, as shown in Figs. 2 and3.

The flange 3, and the neck 4 of the plug carrying the filling tube, havea chamber 42,

which receives a packing 43, compressed, by

a follower or gland 44, around the upper end of the supplemental tube37, which tube passes through the packing 43 and the follower or gland44, and through a hole in a wall 45 of the plug, above which wall is achamber 46, which receives a flange or rim '47, of a head 48, on whichis secured a pack ing 49 constituting,-with the head 48, a pistonoperative in a tube 50, upwardly extending from the plug, and having itsupper end terminating above the liquid in the filling tank, so thatpressure can enter the tube 50 and flow through the tube 37 into thechamber 32, when the valve 38 is open, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, forthe inflow of pressure into the chamber 33 to pass through the passages13 and 25 to enter the bottle or package and equalize the pressurebetween the filling tank and the bottle or ackage, and for the pressurein the bottl or package to outflow therefrom, as the liquid fills thebottle or package, and enter the chamber 33 from the passages 25 and 13,and return through the tube 37 and tube 50 to the interior. of thefilling tank. The supplemental tube 37 furnishes a means for conductingpressure from the filling tank into the tobe filled bottle or package,for equalizing the pressure between the filling tank and the to-befilled bottle or package, and for returning pressure from the bottle orpackage back to the tank; and the control of the flow of pressure ineither direction through the supplemental tube is obtained by theinitial upward movement of the head 8, which opens the valve 38,permitting the flow of pressure in both directions through thesupplemental tube, and with the return of the head 8 to its normal, orat rest position, as shown in Fig. 1, the flow of pressure through thesupplemental tube 37 is shut off by the closing of the valve 33 againstthe face of the ring nut or wall 34 thus placing the control of thepressure under the movement of the sealing head.

The operation will be understood from the foregoing description, butbriefly is as follows: The sealing head and the supplemental tube forpressure, when in their normal, or at rest position, as shown in Fig. 1,effectually close the liquid supply tube and the pressure tube, theliquid supply tube being closed by the seating of the valve 28 againstthe face 27 around the port 26 of the liquid tube, and the supplementalpressure tube 27 being closed by the seating of the face 39 of the valve38 against the end of the ring nut or wall 34 through which thesupplemental tube passes.

The entering of the bottle or package into the i sealing head, as shownin Fig. 2, with the initial upward movement of the bottle, raises thesealing head 8 sufiiciently to open the valve 38, for pressure to escapethrough the port or hole 41, into the chamber 32, and tlow through thepassages 13 and 25, into the interior of the bottle and equalize thepressure between the filling tank and the bottle or package. Theexterior of the valve 38 contacts the bottom wall of the chamber 32,when the valve is opened by the initial upward movement of the sealinghead and bettle, and with the further upward movement of the bottle orpackage and the sealing, head into the position shown in Fig. 3,theliquid supply tube fully enters the bottle or package, for the stem 29of the valve 28 to contact the bottom oi the bottle or package and openthe valve, allowing liquid to flow through the passage 31 and dischargeport 26 into the bottle or package; and with the up ward movement of thesealing head and the bottle or package, the piston, at the upper end ofthe supplemental pressure tube 37, passes upwardly in the inclosing tube50, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the supplemental pressure tube 37furnishes an open conduit for returning pressure from the package orbottle forced out by the liquid entering the bottle orpackage, allowingthe pressure to escape from the bottle or package back into the fiillingtank.

The fixed liquid supply tube, in conjunction with the supplementalpressure tube 37 and the slidable sealing head, furnish a perfeet meansfor discharging liquid into a to-be filled bottle or package, and forequalizing pressure between the filling tank and the to-be filled bottleor package, and places the control of the pressure entirely under theposition of the slidable sealing head, as with the sealing head innormal position, as shown in Fig. 1, the discharge of liquid andpressure into the to-be filled bottle or package is clssed, and with thesealing head initially raised, as in Fig. 2, the pressure is free to Howinto the to-be filled bottle or package from the filling tank,"forequalizing the pressure with the filling tube for the liquid stillclosed; and withthe sealing head in the position shown in F ig. 3, thepassage or pressure be tween the bottle or package in the filling tankremains open and the liquid supply tube is opened for discharging liquidinto the bottle or package.

The filling tube of the present invention is simple in construction, andperforms the required work in an e'llicient and reliable manner.

The piston on the upper end of the tube 37, in connection with the valve33 at the lower end of said tube, limits the descent of the sealinghead; and the sealing head, when down, is supported by the piston at theupper end of the tube 37, and the valve 38 at the lower end of saidsube, so that the tube 39 serves both as a suspcl'iding n'ieans for thesealing head and a conduit for pressure; the piston also serves as aretardcr, for the sealing head in descending, causing a gradual descentof the headby which serious jar or concussion is prevented and thepiston forms a cut-ell against any inllow of liquid into the tube orcasing 50 in case of an overflow of liquid entering'the tube 37 from thebottle or package.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a filling tube for liquids, the combination of a fixed liquidsupply tube, a pressure transmitting tube consisting of a fixed uppermember and a lower member slidable in the fixed member, a'slidablesealing head having therein a pressure transmitting passage, and movableon the liquid supply tube and having the slidable member of the pressuretransmitting tube entered thcreinto and movable therewith, and a headedvalve on the lower end of the sliding member of the pressuretransmitting tube, said valve controlling the tlow of pressure betweenthe pressure transmitting tube and the pressure transmitting passage inthe sealing head, substantially as described.

2. In a filling tube for liquids, the combination of a fixed liquidsupply tube, a slidable tube for transmitting pressure, a slidablesealing head having therein a pressure transmitting passage with alateral extensionv therefrom and movable on the liquid supply tube, andhaving the slid able pressure transmitting tube entered thereinto andmovable therewith, the head having an initial movement independent ofthe tube, a headed valve on the lower end of the slidable tube fortransmitting pressure and controlling the fiow of pressure through suchtube, and a "fixed tube for transmitting pressure and located in thefilling tank and in which the slidable pressure transmitting tube isvertically movable, substantially as described.

3. In a filling tube for liquids, the combination of a fixed liquidsupply tube having an endwise discharge port at its lower end, aslidable tube for transmitting pressure, a slidable sealing head havingtherein a pressure transmitting passage and encircling and movable 011the liquid supply tube, and having the slidable tube for transmittingpressure entered thereinto and movable therewith, the head having aninitial movement independent of the tube, a weighted valve for theliquid supply tube located and operating within the tube at thedischarge end thereof, a stem for the valve projecting through thedischarge port at the lower end of the liquid supply tube, and a headedvalve for the slidable pressure transmitting tube at the discharge endthereof, opened by the initial upward movement of the sealing head andwhen opened engaged by the head and raising the tube with the upwardmovement of the head, substantially as described.

4. In a filling tube for liquids, the combination of a fixed liquidsupply tube, a tube for transmitting pressure consisting of a slidingsection and a fixed section, with the fixed section entered into aliquid supply tank and the sliding section movable in the fixed section,a piston on the upper end of the sliding section of the pressuretransmitting tube, operating in the fixed section of the tube andclosing the section against the admission of liquid. pressure below thepiston and furnishing a stop and support for the movable section of thepressure transmitting tube, a slidable sealing head having therein apressure transmitting passage with a lateral extension leading therefromand encircling and movable on the liquid supply tube, and a headed valveat the lower end of the sliding section of the pressure transmittingtube, controlling the flow of pressure in the tube and forming a contactfor raising the sliding section of the tube with the upward movement ofthe sealing head, substantially as described.

5. In a filling tube for liquids, the combination-of a fixed liquidsupply tube having an endwise discharge port at its lower end, a tubefor transmitting pressure consisting of a sliding section and a fixedsection, with the fixed section entered into a liquid supply tank andthe sliding section movable in the fixed section, a piston on the upperend of the sliding section, operating in the fixed section of the tubeand closing the section against the admission of liquid below the pistonand furnishing a stop and support for the movable section of thepressure transmitting tube, a slidable sealing head having therein apressure transmitting passage with a lateral extension leadingtherefrom, and encircling and movable on the liquid supply tube, aweighted valve located and operating within the liquid supply tube, astern for the valve projecting through the discharge port at the end ofthe liquid supply tube, and a headed valve for the sliding section ofthe pressure transmitting tube at the discharge end thereof, opened bythe initial upward movement of the sealing head and when opened forminga contact for raising the sliding section of the tube with the upwardmovement of the sealing head, substantially as described.

6. In a filling tube for liquids, the combination of a slidable headhaving a chamher for pressure with a lateral extension leadingtherefrom, a gasket entered into the head and having a passage forpressure in communication with the chamber of the head, a pressureconducting tube entered into and slidable with the head and leading intothe lateral extension of the chamber of the head, and a rigid valve atthe entered end of the tube in the head, opened and closed by an initialmovement of the head and engaged by the head for raising the tube withthe upward movement of the head, substantially as described.

7. In a filling tube for liquids, the 001m bination of a slidable headhaving a chamber for pressure with a lateral extension leadingtherefrom, a gasket entered into the head and having a passage forpressure incommunication with the chamber of the head, a pressureconducting tube entered into and slidable with the head and leading intothe lateral extension of the chamber of the head, a rigid valve at theentered end of the tube in the head and opened'and closed by an initialmovement of the head and engaged by the head, for raising the tube withthe upward movementof the head, a liquid supply tube extending throughthe head and gasket, and a valve at the lower end of and within theliquid supply tube, substantially as described.

ADOLPH SCHNEIDER.

IVitnesses OSCAR W. BOND, PIERSON W. BANNING.

